Labelling Journalism - The Discourse of Sectional Paratexts in Print and Online Newspapers

Abstract

The present article explains why it is important to consider newspapers’ formats and content sections in discourse analyses. It performs a comparative analysis of the choice and naming of content sections in the print and online editions of three major Norwegian newspapers published in 2010. The concept of paratexts is stressed and used as an analytical tool through a four-dimensional framework. The analysis shows that sections that appear across paper brands and platforms refer quite conventionally to specific topics and genres, whereas sections that appear solely online rather tend to highlight social functions, social roles and social actors. Through their paratexts, the online-specific sections answer questions of who and why instead of what. In this sense, there seems to be a discursive development in the principles underlying text classification and navigation, turning towards a more dialogical and person-oriented discourse online.